One of the main residence of a famous family of Khadkevichs’ and Sapehs’ is the ancient Bychaŭ Castle.

Bychaŭ Castle is situated on a steep bank of Dniapero. This formerly majestic magnate residence was raised as early as sixteenth century when a magnate family of Khadkevichs’ was governing here. However just next owners of Bychaŭ – Sapehs’ change this city into an armed and unassailable fortress. The stone castle in Renascence style was raised at the beginning of the XVII century. A two-storeyed palace covered with a red roof and decorated with stucco work and a figure pediment was built in the centre of a castle court. In the castle there were rooms and main halls, the entrance in which was leading through a gallery. The middle of a main building from the side of the outward front was marked by a high patrol tower. The inside palace front was presented by a two-tier arcade. Besides the palace building quarters were a part of the complex. The castle court was enclosed with an earth billow with bastions which were set first. Two stone gates cut in billows were leading in the castle. A ditch was situated round the billow. In the seventeenth century the Bychaŭ Castle was one of main fortresses not only of Sapehs’ but also of all Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In the castle under Sapehs’ there were always maintained large number of soldiers, there was enough weapon, artillery and food. As a result it sustained more than three-year siege of Moscow armies during the war of sixteen fifty-four–sixteen sixty-seven and was grasped only through betrayal. In the eighteenth century decline of the castle. In the nineteenth century it was rebuilt and was being used as quarters. To date the building of the palace, two defensive towers and fragments of billows and ditches kept safe in a very defective state.

Publication date: 14.06.2017.

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